A keen, fresh face for the agricultural industry from WA has outclassed his fellow competitors to be declared national winner of the National Fleece Judging Championship.
The highly driven 20-year-old Stuart Richardson is quickly building an impressive curriculum vitae – just six weeks ago he started a new position in animal health and merchandise at Landmark Esperance, WA.
Mr Richardson grew up in Pinjarra, in the Peel region of WA, before attending WA Agricultural College, Harvey, graduating in 2015.
He was a trainee in the sheep section for three months before being employed full-time as the sheep technical officer.
Mr Richardson took up his first position with Landmark as merchandise manager at Kojonup, WA, where he remained for 18 months before being offered the position at Esperance.
His passion and focus for Australia’s agricultural industry is real, and he wants to know everything about it he can.
“My aim is to try all aspects of agriculture before I eventually want to run my own business and property,” Mr Richardson said.
“I am not off a farm, so I’m not your typical stereotype, but I have loved the industry since as long as I can remember. My particular love from wool stems from my time at ag college.”
He said the skills he learned there were invaluable and life long, but industry experts have also played a pivotal roll in his learning.
“I think that is really why I had the passion to work with Landmark because of the mentors I had,” Mr Richardson said.
“I did a lot of work experience with Mitchell Crosby in stud stock in WA. That really opened my eyes to the sheep industry and it continued on from there.”
It was in September 2017 that Mr Richardson won his state title at the Perth Royal show. Six weeks into a new position, Mr Richardson said his time leading up to the competition was rushed, which did not allow him a lot of preparation time.
“To be totally honest I didn’t have my hopes set very high when I came here,” he said.
“I didn’t have time to think much about it and I felt incredibly relaxed. I might have to keep this approach for the future.”
Mr Richardson’s next port of call in the fleece world will be the task of judging the Merino fleeces at the Esperance Ag Show in October along with Esperance Landmark wool area manager Andy Beaton.
“That will help open my eyes even more as I have only ever done the junior judging, I haven’t judged fleeces professionally – it will be a terrific experience,” he said.
In second place was Jedidiah Morrison, Barcaldine, Qld.
